“EVERY effort” will be made to reopen the swimming pool at Helensburgh Leisure Centre “as soon as possible”, a councillor has said.
The issue of the facility’s continued closure was raised at a full meeting of Argyll and Bute Council, with a local councillor saying it was “really disappointing” that a reopening date had not yet been identified.
A report in advance of the meeting said that roof repairs were anticipated to be complete in October, while the lift was also reported to need to be fully replaced. The centre has been closed since Storm Eowyn ripped off parts of the roof in January 2025.
Councillor Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat, Dunoon) provided a further update at the full council meeting on Wednesday, June 24.
Councillor Gary Mulvaney (Conservative, Helensburgh Central) said: “Councillor Moreland will recall that at the last council meeting (in April) I asked about a date for the reopening.
“I appreciate, and the Helensburgh community appreciate, the ongoing work which you can see happening down at the leisure centre on the roof repairs.
“But it is really disappointing that two months on, we do not have a definitive timescale for the full reopening of the leisure centre.
“I accept that in some circumstances we do not want to be a hostage to fortune, but I and the community are disappointed. They have been very patient.
“When will it reopen? This far into the programme, I do genuinely believe we should be able to give them a window with a date. Maybe not the exact date, but we can at least say a quarter or a month.
“Patience is wearing a little thin and if we can get a target date or window of opportunity, that would be better than nothing and better for the community.”
Councillor Moreland responded: “I was hoping to have the date for this policy lead report, but there has been a slight delay due to water ingress.
“I will provide the date as soon as we have it, and will make every effort to open the pool side as soon as possible.
“I was in Helensburgh two weekends ago meeting with councillors and I appreciate the patience they are showing.
“I agree that putting a date out as soon as possible is the main thing but we want to get it firmed up before putting it out there.
“A full reopening will be beyond October, but we would seek to get the pool reopened beyond that.”
Councillor Mulvaney then said: “I picked you up to say a full reopening past October, which potentially suggested a partial reopening would be pre-that. Have I picked that up correctly?”
Councillor Moreland said: “I would not want to put a date on a partial reopening, but we need to get the roof finished before we do that.
“As you will understand, it is a bit nebulous, but we will try our absolute best to get the pool side reopened as soon as possible.”
Councillor Maurice Corry (Conservative, Lomond North) then asked: “We are certainly getting it in the neck, but I heard there is a further issue now to do with the lift being replaced. Will that further delay things?”
Councillor Moreland said: “There is an issue with the lift and that is out there publicly. I do not think it will delay things massively, but it will have to be replaced to bring it up to full opening.”
Councillor Corry said: “So you are certain that the lift will not impact on the opening of the pool side?”
Councillor Moreland said: “I did not put a date on the opening of the pool side, but no, it will not affect it.”
